U.S. patent number 4,389,448 [Application Number 06/396,458] was granted by the patent office on 1983-06-21 for patterned dryer added fabric conditioning articles.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Beecham Products. Invention is credited to Donald L. Green.
United States Patent |
4,389,448 |
Green |
June 21, 1983 |
Patterned dryer added fabric conditioning articles
Abstract
An article useful for the conditioning of clothes in an
automatic laundry dryer during the drying cycle is produced which
comprises a flexible polyurethane foam substrate impregnated with
an effective amount of a conditioning agent and which has on at
least one surface thereof a pattern which is substantially totally
removed from the substrate during the drying cycle thereby
indicating to the consumer or user of the article that the
conditioning agent has been substantially completely removed from
the article during the course of the drying cycle.
Inventors: |
Green; Donald L. (Forest Lakes,
NJ) |
Assignee: |
Beecham Products (Parsippany,
NJ)
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Family
ID: |
26903672 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/396,458 |
Filed: |
July 8, 1982 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
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208950 |
Nov 21, 1980 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
428/195.1;
427/242; 116/200; 428/423.1; 510/520 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D06M
16/00 (20130101); D06M 23/00 (20130101); C11D
17/047 (20130101); D06F 58/203 (20130101); D06F
58/30 (20200201); Y10T 428/31551 (20150401); Y10T
428/24802 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
D06M
16/00 (20060101); D06M 23/00 (20060101); D06F
58/20 (20060101); C11D 17/04 (20060101); B32B
003/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;428/195,310,311,315,423.1 ;252/90,91,8.6,8.8 ;427/242 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Bell; James J.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Jacobs & Jacobs
Parent Case Text
CROSS-REFERENCE
This is a continuation of Ser. No. 208,950 filed Nov. 21, 1980 now
abandoned.
Claims
What is claimed is
1. An article useful for conditioning clothes in an automatic
laundry dryer during the drying cycle, which article comprises a
flexible polyurethane foam substrate impregnated with an effective
amount of a conditioning agent and having on at least one surface
thereof a pattern imprinted with an ink which adheres to the
substrate, said ink being stable to the conditioning agent and
stable during the impregnation of the substrate with the
conditioning agent, or the ink is applied to the substrate after it
has been impregnated, the ink pattern substantially disappearing
from the substrate during the drying cycle.
2. An article according to claim 1 wherein the conditioning agent
is a fabric softening agent.
3. An article according to claim 1 wherein the conditioning agent
is a antistatic agent.
4. An article according to claim 1 wherein the conditioning agent
is a fabric softening and antistatic agent.
5. An article according to claim 1 wherein the conditioning agent
is a bacteriostatic agent.
6. An article according to claim 1 wherein the conditioning agent
is fungicide.
7. An article according to claim 1 wherein the ink is a TiO.sub.2
water-based ink containing a suitable binder.
8. An article according to claim 1 wherein the loading of dried ink
is from 0.05 to 60 g/m.sup.2 within the patterned areas.
9. An article according to claim 4 wherein the fabric softener and
antistatic agent is a quaternary ammonium salt alone or in
combination with a suitable nonionic surfactant.
10. An article according to claim 1 wherein the conditioning agent
is a cationic fabric softener and antistatic agent.
11. An article according to claim 1 wherein the conditioning agent
is a quaternary ammonium salt which has at least one of the
properties of softening fabrics and conveying antistatic properties
thereto.
12. A method of conditioning clothes in an automatic laundry dryer
during the drying cycle which method comprises placing in the dryer
together with the clothes to be conditioned, a flexible
polyurethane foam substrate impregnated with an effective amount of
a fabric conditioning agent and having on at least one surface
thereof a pattern imprinted with an ink which adheres to the
substrate, said ink being stable to the conditioning agent, and
stable during the impregnation of the substrate with the
conditioning agent, or the ink is applied to the substrate after it
has been impregnated, the ink pattern substantially disappearing
from the substrate during the drying cycle.
13. A method according to claim 12 wherein the conditioning agent
is a fabric softening agent.
14. A method according to claim 12 wherein the conditioning agent
is a antistatic agent.
15. A method according to claim 12 wherein the conditioning agent
is a fabric softening and antistatic agent.
16. A method according to claim 12 wherein the conditioning agent
is a bacteriostatic agent.
17. A method according to claim 12 wherein the conditioning agent
is fungicide.
18. a method according to claim 12 wherein the ink is a TiO.sub.2
water-based ink containing a suitable binder.
19. A method according to claim 12 wherein the loading of dried ink
is from 0.05 to 60 g/m.sup.2 within the patterned areas.
20. A method according to claim 15 wherein the fabric softener and
antistatic agent is a quaternary ammonium salt alone or in
combination with a suitable nonionic surfactant.
21. A method according to claim 12 wherein the conditioning agent
is a cationic fabric softener and antistatic agent.
22. A method according to claim 12 wherein the conditioning agent
is a quaternary ammonium salt which has at least one of the
properties of softeneing fabrics and conveying antistatic
properties thereto.
23. A method of producing an article useful for conditioning
clothes in an automatic laundry dryer during the drying cycle which
comprises imprinting a desired pattern on a flexible polyurethane
foam substrate with an ink which adheres to the substrate, said ink
being stable to the conditioning agent, and stable during the
impregnation of the substrate with the conditioning agent, the ink
pattern substantially disappearing from the substrate during the
drying cycle and thereafter impregnating the substrate with an
effective amount of the fabric conditioning agent.
24. A method according to claim 23 wherein the conditioning agent
is a fabric softening agent.
25. A method according to claim 23 wherein the conditioning agent
is a antistatic agent.
26. A method according to claim 23 wherein the conditioning agent
is a fabric softening and antistatic agent.
27. A method according to claim 23 wherein the conditioning agent
is a bacteriostatic agent.
28. A method according to claim 23 wherein the conditioning agent
is fungicide.
29. A method according to claim 23 wherein the ink is a TiO.sub.2
water-based ink containing a suitable binder.
30. A method according to claim 23 wherein the loading of dried ink
is from 0.05 to 60 g/m.sup.2 within the patterned areas.
31. A method according to claim 26 wherein the fabric softener and
antistatic agent is a quaternary ammonium salt alone or in
combination with a suitable nonionic surfactant.
32. A method according to claim 24 wherein the conditioning agent
is a cationic fabric softener and antistatic agent.
33. A method according to claim 23 wherein the conditioning agent
is a quaternary ammonium salt which has at least one of the
properties of softening fabrics and conveying antistatic properties
thereto.
34. A method of producing an article useful for conditioning
clothes in an automatic laundry dryer during the drying cycle which
comprises impregnating a polyurethane foam substrate with an
effective amount of a fabric conditioning agent and thereafter
imprinting thereon a pattern of a desired type or form with an ink
which adheres to the substrate, is stable to the conditioning agent
and substantially totally disappears from the substrate during the
drying cycle.
35. A method according to claim 34 wherein the conditioning agent
is a fabric softening agent.
36. A method according to claim 34 wherein the conditioning agent
is a antistatic agent.
37. A method according to claim 34 wherein the conditioning agent
is a fabric softening and antistatic agent.
38. A method according to claim 34 wherein the conditioning agent
is a bacteriostatic agent.
39. A method according to claim 34 wherein the conditioning agent
is fungicide.
40. A method according to claim 34 wherein the ink is a TiO.sub.2
water-based ink containing a suitable binder.
41. A method according to claim 34 wherein the loading of dried ink
is from 0.05 to 60 g/m.sup.2 within the patterned areas.
42. A method according to claim 37 wherein the fabric softener and
antistatic agent is a quaternary ammonium salt or in combination
with a suitable nonionic surfactant.
43. A method according to claim 34 wherein the conditioning agent
is a cationic fabric softener and antistatic agent.
44. A method according to claim 34 wherein the conditioning agent
is a quaternary ammonium salt which has at least one of the
properties of softening fabrics and conveying antistatic properties
thereto.
Description
The present invention is concerned with an article useful for
conditioning clothes in an automatic laundry dryer during the
drying cycle which article has a pattern thereon which is
substantially totally removed from the article during the course of
the drying cycle thereby indicating to the user of the article that
the conditioning agent which the article contained has been
substantially completed used up during the course of the drying
cycle.
Various dryer added fabric conditioning agents for use in automatic
laundry dryers for the purpose of conditioning clothes such as to
provide softness and/or antistatic properties thereto or
bacteriostatic or fungicidal properties thereto are known in the
art. Such articles comprise a fibrous, woven or nonwoven flexible
substrate coated or impregnated with a suitable fabric conditioning
agent or a flexible polyurethane foam substrate impregnated with a
suitable fabric conditioning agent which will transfer from the
substrate to the clothes to be conditioned during the drying cycle
in an automatic laundry dryer. Frequently the use of such an
article will attempt to reuse the article on a subsequent bundle of
clothes and will be disappointed that the conditioning achieved
from the first use is not repeated for the second use.
The present invention provides a decorative pattern on the
substrate which is visible to the user at the time the substrate is
initially placed in the automatic laundry dryer with the clothes to
be conditioned and which pattern substantially totally disappears
from the substrate during the course of the drying cycle. The
disappearance of the pattern is intended to indicate to the user
that the conditioning agent has been substantially totally used up
and that the substrate therefore does not contain a sufficient
amount of conditioning agent to render the article useful a second
or subsequent time. More particularly, the present invention
comprises an article useful for conditioning clothes in an
automatic laundry dryer during the drying cycle which comprises a
flexible polyurethane foam substrae impregnated with an effective
amount of a conditioning agent and having on at least one surface
thereof a pattern imprinted with an ink which adheres to the
surface, is stable to the conditioning agent, is stable during the
impregnation of the substrate with the conditioning agent or else
is applied to the substrate after the substrate has been
impregnated with a conditioning agent, which pattern substantially
totally disappears from the substrate during this drying cycle. The
conditioning agent may be a fabric softening agent, an antistatic
agent, a fabric softening and antistatic agent, a bacteriostatic
agent or a fungicide. The ink used to imprint the pattern on the
substrate is preferably a titanium dioxide (TiO.sub.2) water-based
ink containing a suitable binder. The loading of dried ink is
preferably from 0.05 to 60 g/m.sup.2 within the patterned areas.
When the conditioning agent is a fabric softening and antistatic
agent one suitable class is cationic quaternary ammonium salts or
cationic quaternary ammonium salt in combination with a suitable
nonionic surfactant. Any quaternary ammonium salt or combination of
quaternary ammonium salt and/or suitable nonionic surfactant which
salt, mixture of salts or mixture is known in the art to exhibit
fabric softening and antistatic effect and which is compatible for
impregnation into a flexible polurethane foam substrate may be
used.
Particularly useful cationic quaternary ammonium salts are:
dodecyltrimethyl ammonium chloride,
didodecyldimethyl ammonium chloride,
tetradecyltrimethyl ammonium chloride,
ditetradecyldimethyl ammonium chloride,
pentadecyltrimethyl ammonium chloride,
dipentadecyldimethyl ammonium chloride,
didodecyldiethyl ammonium chloride,
didodecyldipropyl ammonium chloride,
ditetradecyldiethyl ammonium chloride,
dietradecyldipropyl ammonium chloride,
ditallowdiethyl ammonium chloride,
ditallowdipropy ammonium chloride,
tallowdimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride,
tallowdiethyl benzyl ammonium chloride,
dodecyltrimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate,
didodecyldiethyl ammonium acetate,
tallowtrimethyl ammonium acetate,
tallowdimethyl benzyl ammonium nitrite,
ditallowdipropyl ammonium phosphate,
tallowtrimethyl ammonium chloride,
tallowdimethyl (3-tallowalkoxpropyl) ammonium chloride,
ditallow dimethyl ammonium chloride,
ditallow dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate,
eicosyltrimethyl ammonium chloride,
dieicosyldimethyl ammonium chloride,
methyl-l-coco amido ethyl-2-coco imidazolinium methyl sulfate,
methyl-l-soya amido ethyl-2-soya imidazolinium methyl sulfate,
methyl-l-tallow amido ethyl-2-tallow imidazolinium methyl
sulfate,
methyl-l-oleyl amido ethyl-2-oleyl imidazolinium methyl
sulfate,
methyl-l-tallow amido ethyl-2-tallow imidazolinium chloride.
Particularly suitable zwitterionic quaternary ammonium compounds
are:
3-(N-eicosyl-N,N-dimethylammonio)-2-hydroxypropane-1-sulfonate,
3-(N-eicosyl-N,N-dimethylammonio)propane-1-sulfonate,
3-(N-eicosyl-N,N-di(2-hydroxyethyl)ammonio)-2-hydroxypropane-1-sulfonate,
3-(N-docosyl-N,N-dimethylammonio)-2-
hydroxypropane-1-sulfonate,
3-(N-docosyl-N,N-dimethylammonio)-propane-1-sulfonate,
3-(N-docosyl-N,N-bis-(2-hydroxyethyl)ammonio)-2-hydroxypropane-1-sulfonate,
3-(N-tetrocsyl-N,N-dimethylammonio)-2-hydroxypropane-1-sulfonate,
3-(N-tetracosyl-N,N-dimethylammonio)-propane-1-sulfonate,
3-(N-tetracosyl-N,N-bis(2-hydroxethyl)ammonio)-2-hydroxypropane-1-sulfonate
3-(N-hexacosyl-N,N-dimethylammonio)-2-hydroxypropane-1-sulfonate,
3-(N-hexacosyl-N,N-dimethylammonio)-propane-1-sulfonate,
3-(N-eicosyl-N-ethyl-N-methylammonio)-2-hydroxypropane-1-sulfonate,
3-(N-docosyl-N-ethyl-N-methylammonio)-2-hydroxpropane-1-sulfonate,
3-(N-tetracosyl-N-ethyl-N-methylammonio)-2-hydroxypropane-1-sulfonate,
3-(N-heneicosyl-N,N-dimethylammonio)-2-hydroxypropane-1-sulfonate,
3-(N-tricosyl-N,N-dimethylammonio)-2-hydroxypropane-1-sulfonate,
3-(N-tricosyl-N-ethyl-N-methylammonio)-2-hydroxypropane-1-sulfonate,
3-(N-tricosyl-N,N-dimethylammonio)-propane-1-sulfonate,
3-(N-pentacosyl-N,N-dimetnylammonio)-2-hydroxypropane-1-sulfonate,
3-(N-(2-methoxydocosyl)-N,N-dimethylammonio)-2-hydroxypropane-1-sulfonate,
3-(N-heptacosyl-N,N-dimethylammonio)-propane-1-sulfonate,
3-(N-octacosyl-N,N-dimethylammonio)-2-hydroxypropane-1-sulfonate,
3-(N-nonacosyl-N,N-dimethylammonio)-2-hydroxypropane-1-sulfonate,
3-(N-triacontyl-N,N-dimethylammonio)-propane-1-sulfonate,
3-(N-(3,5-dioxatetracosyl)-N,N-dimethylammonio)-2-hydroxypropane-1-sulfonat
e.
Suitable anionic sulfonates include:
sodium or potassium 2-acetoxydocosylsulfonate,
ammonium 2-acetoxydocosylsulfonate,
diethanolammonium 2-acetoxydocosylsulfonate,
sodium or potassium 2-acetoxytricosylsulfonate,
sodium or potassium 2-acetoxytetracosylsulfonate,
sodium or potassium 2-acetoxypentacosyl sulfonate,
sodium or potassium 2-acetoxyhexacosylsulfonate,
sodium or potassium 2-acetoxyheptacosylsulfonate,
sodium or potassium 2-acetoxyoctacosylsulfonate,
2-acetoxynonacostylsulfonate,
2-acetoxytriacontylsulfonate,
2-acetoxyheneitriacontylsulfonate,
2-acetoxydotriacontylsulfonate.
Particularly suitable softening nonionics include:
.beta.-hydroxydocosyldimethylphosphine oxide,
heneicosylimethylethylphosphine oxide,
docosylmethylethylphosphine oxide,
tricosyldiethylphosphine oxide,
tricosyldimethylphosphine oxide,
tetracosyldi(2-hydroxyethyl)phosphine oxide,
pentacosyldimethylphosphine oxide,
eicosylmethyl-2-hydroxybutylphosphine oxide,
eicosyldibutylphosphine oxide,
docosylmethyl-3-hydroxylbutylphosphine oxide,
hexacosyldiethylphosphine oxide,
heptacosyldimethylphosphine oxide,
octacosyldiethylphosphine oxide,
triacontyldimethylphosphine oxide,
eicosyldimethylphosphine oxide,
eicosyldi(2-hydroxyethyl)phosphine oxide,
docosyldimethylphosphine oxide,
docosyldi(2-hydroxyethyl)phosphine oxide,
tetracosyldimethylphosphine oxide,
hexacosyldimethylphosphine oxide,
eicosyldiethylphosphine oxide,
docosyldiethylphosphine oxide,
tetracosyldi(2-hydroxyethyl)phosphine oxide,
eicosylmethylethylphosphine oxide,
heneicosyldimethylphosphine oxide,
.beta.-hydroxyeicosyldimethylphosphine oxide,
eicosyl-bis(.beta.-hydroxyethyl)amine oxide,
eicosyldimethylamine oxide,
docosyldimethylamine oxide,
docosyl-bis-(.beta.-hydroxyethyl)amine oxide,
tetracosyldimethylamine oxide,
tetracosyl-bis-(.beta.-hydroxyethyl)amine oxide,
hexacosyldimethylamine oxide,
hexacosyl-bis-(.beta.-hydroxyethyl)amine oxide,
2-hydroxyeicosyldimethylamine oxide,
eicosylmethylethylamine oxide,
eicosyldiethylamine oxide,
2-hydroxyeicosyldiethylamine oxide,
heneicosyldimethylamine oxide,
heneicosyldiethylamine oxide,
docosyldiethylamine oxide,
tricosylidimethylamine oxide,
tricosyldiethylamine oxide,
tetracosyldiethylamine oxide,
.beta.-hydroxytetracosyldimethylamine oxide,
pentacosyldimethylamine oxide,
hexacosyldiethylamine oxide,
eicosylmethyl(2-hydroxypropyl)amine oxide,
docosylbutylmethylamine oxide,
2-docosenyldimethylamine oxide,
2-methoxydocosyldimethylamine oxide,
hepacosyldimethylamine oxide,
octacosylmethylethylamine oxide,
octacosyldiethylamine oxide,
nonacosyldimethylamine oxide,
triacontyldiethylamine oxide,
3,6-dioxaoctacosyldimethylamine oxide,
2-hydroxy-4-oxatetracosyldimethylamine oxide,
6-stearamidohexyldimethylamine oxide,
glycerol-1-monolaurate,
glycerol-1-monomyristate,
glycerol-1-monopalmitate,
glycerol-1-monostearate,
glycerol-1-monobehenate,
glycerol-1-monlignicerate,
glycerol-1-monarachidoate,
glycerol-1,3-dipalmitate,
glycerol-1,3-distearate,
glycerol-1-palmitate-3-laurate,
glycerol-1-palmitate-3-stearate,
glycerol-1,3-dibehenate,
trilaurin,
trimyristin,
triolein,
tristearin,
-palmitodistearin,
.beta.-stearopalmitolein,
.beta.-palmitodistearin,
sobitan fatty acid esters (mentioned in U.S. Pat. No. 4,022,938,
Zaki, et. al., May 10, 1977).
In addition to the above mentioned nonionics which function as the
main or auxiliary softeners in the present invention, there is a
second class of nonionics which are also useful as melting point
depressants and transfer facilitators to the previously mentioned
softening compounds (quaternary ammonium salts, anionic, and
nonionic). Particularly suitable classes of these compounds include
the following:
polyoxyethylene fatty acid esters
polyoxypropylene fatty acid esters
polyoxyethylene fatty alcohol ethers
When the conditioning agent is a quaternary ammonium salt said salt
will have at least one of the properties of softening fabrics and
conveying antistatic properties thereto.
The present invention also includes a method of conditioning
clothes in an automatic laundry dryer during the drying cycle which
comprises placing in the dryer together with the clothes to be
conditioned, a flexible polyurethane foam substrate impregnated
with an effective amount of a fabric conditioning agent and having
on at least one surface thereof a pattern imprinted with an ink
which adheres to the surface, is stable to the conditioning agent,
is stable during the impregnation of the substrate or else is
applied to the substrate after the substrate has been impregnated
with a conditioning agent and which pattern substantially totally
disappears from the substrate during the drying cycle. According to
the above described method, the fabric conditioning agent is a
fabric softening agent, an antistatic agent, a fabric softening and
antistatic agent, a bacteriostatic agent or fungicide. The ink used
to imprint the pattern and the loading is as described above. When
the conditioning agent is a fabric softener and antistatic agent,
it is preferably a cationic quaternary ammonium salt or a cationic
quaternary ammonium salt in combination with a suitable nonionic
surfactant. When the conditioning agent is a quaternary ammonium
salt said salt will have at least one of the properties of
softening fabrics and conveying antistatic properties thereto.
Suitable quaternary ammonium salts and nonionic surfactants are
described above.
A further aspect of the present invention comprises a method for
producing the article described above which comprises imprinting a
desired pattern on a flexible polyurethane foam substrate either
prior to impregnation of the polyurethane foam substrate with the
conditioning agent or subsequent to said impregnation. The ink used
to imprint the pattern must be one which adheres to the substrate,
is stable to the conditioning agent and if the pattern is applied
prior to the impregnation step, the ink must be stable during the
impregnation step and the ink must be such that the pattern
substantially totally disappears from the substrate during the
drying cycle. The fabric conditioning agent with which the
polyurethane foam substrate is impregnated may be a fabric
softening agent, an antistatic agent, a fabric softening and
antistatic agent, a bacteriostatic agent or a fungicide. Any ink
which meets the above set forth criteria is suitably and a titanium
dioxide water-based ink containing a suitable binder has been found
to be particularly useful. The loading of dried ink within the
patterned area is preferably for 0.05 to 60 g/m.sup.2 of finished
product.
When the conditioning agent is a fabric softener and antistatic
agent, it is preferably a quaternary ammonium salt, a mixture of
such slats or a quaternary ammonium salt in combination with a
suitable nonionic surfactant. When the fabric conditioning agent
with which the substrate is impregnated is a quaternary ammonium
salt or mixture of such salts, said compounds will have at least
one of the properties of softening fabrics and conveying antistatic
properties thereto.
Suitable quaternary ammonium salts and nonionic surfactants have
been described above.
The flexible polyurethane foam substrate which is preferred for use
according to the present invention preferably has a thickness of
approximately 0.085 inches and a density of approximately 0.51
lbs/ft.sup.3. It is preferably an open-celled polyurethane foam and
particularly preferably the pore-size is about 70 pores per square
inch. If desired, the substrate may be colored to provide a
contrast to the ink which is used to form the pattern.
While with what is described above any ink system which meets the
above set forth criteria may be used, one particularly acceptable
ink system is Aqualox II, white, which is an ink system of Inmont
Corporation. This ink consists of 35% TiO.sub.2 in a water-base
with an acrylic binder. Many inks contain binders or pigments which
are readily dissolved into the active system of the substrate of
dryer-added fabric softeners in conditioning agents and thus react
with the substrate. This would result in problems during the
impregnation of the substrate with the conditioning agent and would
also be likely to cause staining of the clothes during the
conditioning step in the dryer. Although the pattern substantially
completely disappears from the substrate during the course of the
drying cycle, the unique partial solvation of the binder by the
active system both permits the transfer of conditioning agent and
inhibits staining of the clothes.
The desired pattern may be imprinted under the flexible substrate
by using any standard flexographic printing press. The flexographic
printing press utilizes a rotary flexible rubber plate in
conjunction with a rapidly drying ink. While the preferred loading
of dried ink within the patterned area as has been described above
as being within the range of 0.05 to 60 g/m.sup.2, the preferred
loading range is in the range of 0.05 to 4.2 g/m.sup.2.
The following non-limitative example more particularly illustrates
the present invention.
EXAMPLE
Aqualox II, white, a TiO.sub.2 water-based ink available
commercially from Inmont Corp. Lodi, N.J. was used to print a roll
of blue polyurethane foam. The open-celled polyurethane foam had a
thickness of 0.085 in., a density of 1.5 lbs/ft.sup.3, and a pore
size of 70 pores per square inch. A flexographic printing unit,
Model 45-6, manufactured by Wolverine Flexographic Presses,
Farmington, Mich. was used along with a 55 durometer synthetic
rubber printing plate. The plate's raised printing surface
consisted of 25% of the total surface area and individual designes
were 0.23 in.sup.2 in area. The average dry ink loading onto the
foam was 3.2 g/m.sup.2 within the printed areas, or approximately
0.8 g/m.sup.2 over the total surface of the foam.
The printed foam was then impregnated with a 62.5/37.5 mixture of
dimethyl di-(hydrogenated-tallow)ammonium
methylsulfate/polyethoxylated glycol ester in a liquid state at
180.degree. F. The impregnation process is accomplished via a pair
of compression rollers neither of which showed any visible evidence
of ink solids either during or after the run.
The finished printed and impregnated foam was then cut into
3.times.7 in. sheets and evaluated in a standard residential
clothes dryer. After a normal 50 minute drying cycle the pattern
had substantially disappeared leaving no trace of any visible
residue on dark synthetic items used in the testing bundle.
* * * * *